The invention relates to a system for editing digital video and audio information, comprising: a storage means for recording and reproducing video and audio information, an indicator means for indicating information, a means for realizing an edit decision list comprising editing data, and a control means for controlling the storage means in dependence upon the editing data of the edit decision list.
In television studios, non-linear editing systems are increasingly used for producing programs suitable to be broadcast. In such editing systems, the signals of the video and audio information are initially stored in an unarranged form in a random access memory, for example, a disc memory. Subsequently, given image scenes (takes) of the stored video and audio information can be non-linearly accessed, i.e. without any time delay. It is conventional practice to determine also the editing instants with reference to the video and audio information stored in the memory, i.e. the instants of starting and ending each take which are to be broadcast. The editing instants of the selected takes, as well as the sequence of the takes are entered on an Edit Decision List (EDL). The editing data entered on the EDL are used for controlling the (disc) memory. In conformity with the editing data of the EDL, a continuing video/audio sequence suitable to be broadcast can be read from the memory. In contrast to the linear (sequential) magnetic tape technique, such a non-linear editing system allows an on-line check of the video/audio sequence composed on the basis of an EDL. In a non-linear editing system, EDL entries can be changed easily.
The editing instants cannot only be determined by means of the displayed images of the video material but also by means of the accompanying sound. The audio information, which is provided time-parallel with the video material, is then monitored and editing marks are inserted at the edit starts and edit ends of given takes which are about to be broadcast. This type of editing is suitable for producing current news broadcasts because the editing instants of the takes which are about to be broadcast can be determined more rapidly and more exactly with the aid of the audio information than with the aid of the image information of the video material.
A system for computer-aided editing of audio data is known from WO 94/16443, in which a part of the amplitude variation of the audio data is displayed on a monitor. Sound or speech interruptions which may serve as editing instants for editing marks are determined by means of glitches in the amplitude curve. The realization and evaluation of amplitude curves with reference to audio data requires a lot of feeling and special expertise. Consequently, this system is not very appropriate for editing current (television) news contributions by editors who have not had a technical training.